The Night of the Wolf
by Jaxlyn Tayre
Summary: Remus' thoughts as he's in the tunnel that fateful night...short. R&R! Flame if you must, I spose...
1. Thoughts in the Tunnel

The wolf howled bitterly at the moon, somber and fearful. In Hogsmead villagers stopped for a moment, whispered, and continued. The Shrieking Shacks ghosts were up to its tricks.  
  
Inside, the wolf moaned. Several bloody gashes went down his muzzle and he was whimpering.  
  
His shackles rose as he sensed another person.  
  
Person? The small human part of his mind yelled. 'You are a PERSON, REMUS! PERSON! Not a WOLF!' James Sirius Peter Lily Rosie Snape Professor Dumbledore. Names ran through his head and he cut his face again, trying to silence his human mind.  
  
'The OWLS! Remember? Earlier!'  
  
The person made their way down the hall fearlessly. His wolf mind took over and he bounded to the door, sliding through it and running down the stairs. Blood.blood! His predator mind went into over-drive and he howled again, a hunters howl.  
  
Not the StagHuman. No, yes, the StagHuman and another. JAMES and another. Blood.he growled and ran into the tunnel.  
  
A black haired boy stared in horror as the wolf cornered it.  
  
He bared his teeth, ready to make the cut-  
  
"REMUS! NO!"  
  
He halted. StagHuman aimed the wand and Stupiefied the stranger. The wolf pleaded and whined, only to turn around after clawing at James a bit.  
  
In a few minutes, the wolf, stiff with fear, regained part of his human mind.  
  
No.  
  
He hadn't.  
  
NO!  
  
With a sob trickling down his furry cheek, Remus Lupin curled up in his wolf form in the corner.  
  
Remember the OWLS, he thought bitterly.  
  
Yes, he remembered.  
  
'Write five distinguishin triats of a werewolf.'  
  
He's wearing my clothes.  
  
He's sitting in my chair.  
  
His name is Remus Lupin.  
  
With an anguished howl, the wolf cried so loud and sadly that the villagers wondered what had happened. 


	2. Confronting Sirius

Sirius hardly knew what to do. What had he done? He'd nearly killed someone. Someone he hated.  
  
Did he regret it? Was he sorry? Yes, he was. But was it mere sorrow at being caught? Or the fact that he'd connived his best friend into nearly eating a classmate and giving James a concussion? No, it was more then that.  
  
He felt sorry for Snape. All scratched and bloody like that. He'd looked so helpless. So.pale. Like he'd died.  
  
Dumbledore, ever smiling, ever laughing Dumbledore, was frowning at him over his glasses. The blue eyes were serious and icy as he looked at Sirius.  
  
"Professor?"  
  
"Yes, Mr. Black?"  
  
Mr. Black. Not Sirius. Jeez, this was bad. "Professor, I'm really, really sorry. I just-"  
  
"Wasn't thinking?" came the cutting response. The eyes softened a bit. "Yes, I know you have considerable trouble keeping your temper under control. But what set you off, Sirius? Was it so serious, so harmful, that you were willing to risk three lives that night?"  
  
"Three?" he echoed, still in shock.  
  
"Yes, three. James, who has a concussion and a nasty cut, Severus, who is still unconscious and has lost quite a lot of blood, and Remus."  
  
"Remus?"  
  
"You know how peaceful Remus is, in spite of his other nature. Do you really think he would rejoice at such a happening? By merlin, Sirius, are you that blinded?"  
  
"No!" he said, gripping the chair. "I know, Remy wouldn't be happy. I wouldn't be happy. But he wasn't in any danger!"  
  
"Oh no?" Dumbledore said, his eyes sober. "Do you remember, Sirius, when you were a tiny tot, those murders over in Brighton?"  
  
"Yeah," Sirius muttered. "Mum told me about them. Said a rabid werewolf would get me if I didn't do my lessons."  
  
"That was when Remus was first bitten."  
  
"What?!?!"  
  
"Remus was told this summer, about how he had killed two Muggles and injured another. He tried to commit suicide. To protect the world, he said. From the wolf. From him." Dumbledore slammed a fist into the cluttered table in a fit of irregular temper. "By the Gods, Sirius, what possessed you?"  
  
"He called me a Death Eater!"  
  
"Sirius, Severus has problems, surely that was just teasing-"  
  
"He started shooting his mouth, about how Remus was sneaking out with me and he'd get us expelled and it'd serve me right, me getting sent home to Uriah and getting beaten as hard as I was able to stand and more and being Crucioed and tattoed and made to serve the Dark Lord and how I was a disgrace to the name of Black. I told him to stop, to leave me alone, but he wouldn't listen." Sirius buried his face in his hands and sobbed. "He wouldn't listen."  
  
Dumbledore approached the sobbing child and patted his back. "There, there, Sirius. Its over now. Not forgotten, not forgiven, and certaintly not done with James and Remus and Severus. But its over. He's not dead."  
  
Sirius just kept crying.  
  
"I didn't mean to, sir, I swear!" he said, wiping the tears from his face. "Gods, sir, you have to believe me. I don't love Snape, but I didn't want to kill him. I thought it'd be a lesson, to stay away, leave me alone."  
  
"Come, Sirius." Dumbledore rose regally. "We have to talk with three young men who are extrememly hurt and confused."  
  
Sirius rose as well and started to the hospital wing, feeling as though bricks were in his feet.  
  
***  
  
Ooh, cliffie! Yes, well, indeed.  
  
DISCLAIMER: Me no own Sevvie of Sirry or Remy or Jamie. But I do somewhat own Uriah. I think I might make him make an appearance in a dream or something. Anyhow, I think this'll be maybe five or six chapters, starting with the attack, then this, then the hospital wing and some other surprises. Cheers!  
  
THANKS TO:  
  
My Reviewers! Huzzah! One of you, be my beta reader, pwease! Well, here they are, in the flesh. Or ink. Or whatever.  
  
Lover of Lupe, Cleric 007, Dimgwrthien, cassieowls, and Maggie Black.  
  
I LOVE YOU GUYS!  
  
ETA on next chapter: the sixth or seventh of Dec. maybe earlier. 


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